Uber price surge amid Tube strike leaves customers up in arms

Passengers had to pay as much as £30 for a two-mile journey during this morning’s rush hour under Uber’s pricing strategyDan Kitwood/Getty Images

The taxi-hailing app Uber found itself accused of price-gouging today after raising fares around London to three times their normal levels as millions struggled to get to work during a Tube strike.

Passengers complained of having to pay as much as £30 for a two-mile journey during this morning’s rush hour under Uber’s surge pricing strategy.

The strategy, which sees fares rise sharply during periods of high demand, is well understood by most users of the app, helping to smooth out demand and encourage more drivers onto the road at busy times.

Uber UK sent an email to customers yesterday entitled “Keep Calm and Share Your Journey”, warning that demand was set to soar during the strike and use the in-app car-sharing function to fill…